When do they narrow national field to 40?
Got be quite soon..
Think they have 4 reserves to..?

Treacle can be crossed off list to
One against field all ready.

Agree about Chicago Grey, concerns bout his jumping
That's why did Tea For Three.
Be nice if another grey wins national 2 years running..
After all those years in the wilderness..
But of course love see lady jockey win it

We are down to 49 and the shape of the race looks to be decided. We are very likely to get Good to Soft ground with Aintree having to start watering this last weekend. I think the winner is most likely to come from one of:

Not shown enough to consider capable of winning the national. A few good runs to suggest a place could be possible . But no chase win over 3 mile and a biggest chase win of £16k suggest he's short of the class required.

If the national was run at Perth this horse would be my no1 choice.Was in cracking form last year and has won a class 2 chase worth £19k and won over 25f, but he seems to stuggle when racing in top class company. Not beyond the realms of possibility he could run into a place, but i doubt it.

Not shown enough to consider capable of winning the national. A few good runs to suggest a place could be possible . But no chase win over 3 mile and a biggest chase win of £16k suggest he's short of the class required.

Although I broadly agree with this and Mr Moonshine fails a lot of the trends I look for as well, what I find very interesting about him is that he is very close to passing a lot of trends...

he hasn't won a 3m chase, but he has won a 22f chase, has won at 26f over hurdles and was second in the Rowland Merrick in December over 25f.

He was also a Novice last season which is a negative for me, but this is his third season chasing (first chase in Nov 2010)

"The problem with the future is that there are more things that could happen than will happen" - Plato (liberally paraphrased)

A cracking 2nd to Merigo in the scottish national giving lumps of weight in 2012. Won a class 1 chase worth £28k and won over 25f, but since that Scottish national not alot to be positive about. If he can reproduce that 2nd in the Scottish national form, then could go well.